Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)

I move amendment No. 14:

In page 9, between lines 35 and 36, to insert the following:

"14.—The Principal Act is amended in section 198 by inserting the following subsection after subsection (3D)—

'(3G) (i) The payment of a supplement towards the amount of rent payable by a person in respect of his or her residence shall be paid in its entirety by the Health Service Executive to the landlord.

(ii) The tenant shall pay to the Health Service Executive the portion of the rent for which they are liable.'".

In speaking on the previous amendment, I mentioned many of the reasons behind this amendment. In circumstances in which a tenant accepts a tenancy that is agreeable to a community welfare officer but in which, unfortunately, a landlord expects more money, the tenant must pay the additional sum from his or her own resources. This is a regular occurrence. We want the HSE to make the payment to the landlord, thus alleviating any pressure on the tenant to provide more money. Given that there is an increase in the tenancies in question, as we all agree, we must ensure there is transparency.

Every Deputy who has spoken this morning stated there are many good landlords and that, unfortunately, there are bad ones also. We are targeting the latter in this amendment. We are asking that the HSE pay the money directly to the landlord, as is the case with the rental accommodation scheme. There should be follow-on arrangements, bearing in mind that the accommodation a landlord may have might be acceptable under the rental accommodation scheme guidelines. There should be contact right across the board in this area. We should consider this and I ask the Minister to accept the amendment.

See this speech in context